Method of manufacturing mouth guard having internal components for sensing impact forces

Abstract

A mouth guard senses impact forces and determines if the forces exceed an impact threshold. If so, the mouth guard notifies the user of the risk for injury by haptic feedback, vibratory feedback, and/or audible feedback. The mouth guard system may also remotely communicate the status of risk and the potential injury. The mouth guard uses a local memory device to store impact thresholds based on personal biometric information obtained from the user and compares the sensed forces relative to those threshold values. The mouth guard and its electrical components on the printed circuit board are custom manufactured for the user such that the mouth guard provides a comfortable and reliable fit, while ensuring exceptional performance.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for monitoring the impact forces on a user that occur during a first activity or a second activity in which the user participates, comprising:
 while the user is engaged in the first activity, monitoring first activity impact data from a mouth guard worn by the user, the mouth guard including a flexible printed circuit board with linear and rotational force sensors and a memory device, the first activity impact data being provided by the linear and rotational force sensors; 
 comparing the first activity impact data to first impact threshold data that is stored in the memory device in the mouth guard, the first impact threshold data being based associated with the first activity; 
 in response to the first activity impact data exceeding the first impact threshold data, providing an indication to the user; 
 while the user is engaged in the second activity, monitoring second activity impact data from the mouth guard worn by the user, the second activity impact data being provided by the linear and rotational force sensors; 
 comparing the second activity impact data to second impact threshold data that is stored in the memory device in the mouth guard, the second impact threshold data being based associated with the second activity, the second impact threshold data being different from the first impact threshold data; and 
 in response to the second activity impact data exceeding the second impact threshold data, providing an indication to the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first activity impact data and the second activity impact data are stored on the memory device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first impact threshold data and the second impact threshold data are also based on the biometric information of the user. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the biometric information includes at least age, sex, and weight. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further including, providing a communication from the user to the mouth guard for selecting the first activity or the second activity. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communication is a wireless communication from a mobile phone in communication with the mouth guard, the user providing inputs to the mobile phone to select the first activity or the second activity. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication to the user is provided by a mobile phone of the user that is in communication with the mouth guard. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication to the user is provided by a haptic or vibrational device within the mouth guard while the user is participating in the first activity or the second activity. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first impact threshold data for the first user includes a primary threshold value that, if exceeded during a single impact, indicates a high risk of concussion for the first user. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first impact threshold data includes a secondary threshold value that is lower than the primary threshold value, the secondary threshold value is a series-based threshold that takes into account a series of impact events to the first user over a certain period of time. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first activity is a sport activity in which the user wears a helmet. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first impact threshold data includes dynamic thresholds that change over the course of participation in the first activity by the first user.